Rangitoto National Park Rewild opportunity
Inspiring our community to rewild this place
The Opportunity Context
Floating in Auckland’s front garden, Rangitoto, These motu were recognized as part of the Motutapu, Motuihe/Te motu-a-Ihenga, and Hauraki Gulf Maritime Park for a period after Browns Island (Motukorea), are predator-free 1967. motu (islands) that will flourish when native There are plans to rewild larger areas of these forest is thriving on them all. motu but the timeframe is long. With current Rangtitoto motu contains the world’s largest and projected employment needs, there is a pohutukawa forest. The other 3 motu pastoral wonderful opportunity to rewild now, to attain areas are ideal for rewilding of native forest, immediate ecological and social value. wetlands/streams and coastal ecology. Some Some areas of WWII development and roads planting by volunteers has already been started on Rangitoto could also be rewilded. on Motuihe and Motutapu. The motu are important ecological stepping The motu are also nationally important coastal stones within the Hauraki Gulf motu, and and volcanic landscapes, visitor destinations, between the Hunua Ranges, eastern Auckland, land environments and geopreservation sites. and some of the other maunga of Auckland The conferring of National Park status would that the iwi plans to rewild. recognize these nationally important values, These motu are also host to a variety of with all the benefits that rewilding can create. nationally important native species; Plants – shore spurge, shore buttercup, kohihi, pinaki, Kirk’s tree daisy Birds – little spotted kiwi, Current Management North Island brown kiwi, saddleback, takahe, shore plover, brown teal, northern NZ dotterel, Most parts of these motu are managed by DOC whitehead, little blue penguin Reptiles – as Scenic and Recreation Reserves, which were tuatara, Dauvacel’s gecko. More important gifted to the nation by Tāmaki Makaurau iwi native species are planned to be released. under a Treaty Settlement. They are managed The Hauraki Gulf Forum has identified the need in an iwi/crown partnership, and a Conservation for a Marine Reserve rewilding site on the Management Plan is being prepared for them. shores of Rangitoto and Motutapu. Protection The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act requires that of ecosystem functions and processes would the life-supporting capacity of most parts of benefit from Marine Reserve rewilding around these motu is of national importance. Some the entire shorelines of all these motu, other areas of these motu are owned by iwi. particularly to benefit shorebirds.
Key Benefits
1,692 hectares of grassland rewilded to native forest ceasing carbon emissions
and creating a carbon sink in a nationally Threatened Environment
3,970 hectares of National Park legal protection for nationally important
ecosystems, visitor destinations, geopreservation sites and coastal landscapes
– the first islands National Park
4 predator-free native forest island refuges for threatened native species such
as kiwi, takahe, tuatara, and saddleback
Stepping stones for native species to connect with the Hunuas, Waiheke Island,
Tūpuna Taonga o Tāmaki Makaurau maunga, and the Auckland community
Spade ready employment for iwi and the community in the nursery, planting
and tending
Dedicated to iwi, Professor John Morton, and the people of Auckland
Further reading Tāmaki Makaurau Collective Redress Deed - https://www.govt.nz/treaty-settlement- documents/tamaki-makaurau/ - www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2014/0052/latest/096be8ed818c261e.pdf Rangitoto Island - https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to- go/auckland/places/rangitoto-island/nature-and-conservation/ Mototapu Island - https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to- go/auckland/places/motutapu-island-recreation-reserve/historic-motutapu-island/ and https://www.motutapu.org.nz/ Motuihe Island - https://www.motuihe.org.nz/ Motukorea/Browns Island - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browns_Island_(New_Zealand) Hauraki Gulf Marine Park - https://www.doc.govt.nz/haurakigulfmarinepark
Opportunity Location
Rewilding: to create and protect healthy ecosystem processes and functions that can sustain themselves, our society, and our economy.
Published by Rewild Aotearoa rewildaotearoa.org.nz [email protected] August 2020 RO1F_2020_V1